Spirit level



Jufiy 17, 1923, -m@mm P. H. VOGEL SPIRIT LE EL Filed May 12. 1921 INVENTOR,

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ATTORNEY- Patented July 17, 1923.

@TATES FATENT FFtQE.

PAUL HERMAN VOGEL, OF NEW BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT.

SPIRIT LEVEL.

Application filed May 12,

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PAUL H. VocnL, a citizen of the United States. residing at New Britain, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Spirit Level, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to spirit levels, and is more particularly directed to a sectional casing forming a container for holding .the spirit tubes in proper position 1n the beam or body of the level, whereby the tube holders may be readily detached and replaced and dust-proof enclosures for the tube are provided.

This invention comprises two mating" sections provided with a means for securing the sections of the casing and the spirit tubes in position on opposite sides of the beam or body of the level, and which permits the operator to adjust one or both in order to correct inaccuracies in the instrument.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification, with the understandin however, that the invention is not confined to any strict conformity with the showing in the drawing, but may be changed and modified so long as such changes and modifications mark no material departure from the salient features of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a side view of a spirit level containing my invention.

Fig. 2 is a side view with the sections of the casing on the inner side of the beam removed.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of one of the sectional casings for the plumb level. Fig. 4 discloses a plan view of a central mating section with the spirit tube secured in position.

Fig. 5 is a transverse section of the spirit level as shown by the line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a horizontal view in cross section along the line 6-6 of Fig. 1.

In the drawings, 1 designates the beam or body of the spirit level having the aluminum marginal flanges 2 spaced from each other and held in parallel relation by the steel web 3. Sight openings 1, 5 and 6 are cut into the web 3 of the body of the spirit level.

1921. Serial No. 469,018.

The outer or plumb openings t and 6 comprise a circular open portion 7 and two 0ppos1tely-disposed vertical slots 8 leading into the circular opening 7 while the central opening 5 is substantially rectangular.

Secured to the web 3 and located on opposite sides of the same are two mating sections 9 and 1.0 of a container for the spirit tubes, which sections surround the openings 4; and 6. The section 9 comprises a ring 11 having sockets 12 raised above its surface in which are adapted to be secured the ends of the spirit tube 13 by means of some form of cement.

The mating section 10 is similar in construction to the mating section 9 with the exception that instead of providing sockets 12, depressed portions 12 forming pockets are placed on opposite sides of the center of the section and adapted to seat the sockets '12 of the mating section 10 in order that these two sections will form a neat fit when applied to the opposite sides of the beam or body of the spirit level.

The ring 11 has diametrically disposed openings 1st alining with openings 16 in the web of the beam and throughwhich are adapted to be inserted screws 15 screwed into threaded openings 17 formed in the body of the ring 18 of the section 10. The openings 14 in the ring 11 are larger in diameter than the diameter of the screw 15 but smaller than the head of the screw. It will be seen that this will permit the ring member 11 to be adjusted upon the level beam without the removal of the said ring, since the screws may be slightly loosened and the member 9 shifted until the proper plumb line is obtained.

Both of the end spirit tube or plumb level containers or sectional casings are similar in every respect in construction and it is thought that a description of one casing will suffice.

The sectional casing which is applied to the central opening 5 of the web is of somewhat different construction, in view of the fact that the casing carries two spirit tubes both similarly mounted but each one being applied separately to opposite sides of the web 3 in such a manner that two levels are exposed through the opening 5 in the web in superposed relation. By the use of two spirit tubes either flanged straight edge 2 may be applied to the Work and a great savspaced lugs 23, 24;, 25, 26 project outwardly from the inner side of the flat plate 20 and are located on opposite sides of the opening 22. Two of these lugs 23, 2d are curved inwardly towards each other to form a socket for the end of a spirit tube 27. The other end of the spirit tube is located between the lugs 25 and 26 and both ends of the spirit tube are cemented in position between the lugs by any kind of preparation suitable for the purpose. i

Formed integrally with the side plate 20 and the flange 21,and longitudinally of these members, are upper and lower 'blocks 28 and '29 located at the upper and lower edges of the opening 22.

The two sections of the central casings or container are made alike in every respect so that these sections are interchangeable. Each mating section of the casing is placed upon opposite sides of the web and secured thereon in overlapping relation with the cen-' tral opening 5 by means of screws. Screws 30 are inserted through perforations 31 in the plate 20 and said PBIfOPiIt-lOIIS'fll'G of a larger diameter than the shanks of the screws but smaller than the heads of the screws, the ends of the screws meshing with threaded'openings 32 in the web 3, disposed upon opposite sides of the opening 5. The enlarged. openings or perforations 31 in the plate 29 permit the plate to be adjusted when the screws 30 are loosened, so that whenever the spirit tube is not registering the proper horizontal level, the plates may be adjusted forcorrecting inaccuracies of the instrui'nent While the section. 19 is a duplicate of the section 19, the perforations 81" in the plate 20 and likewise the alined perforations 32 in the web 3 while falling within the same horizontal plane that passes through they perforations 31 are nevertheless placed farther away from the centralopening 5 than the openings 31 in order that the separate connecting means for each section will not conflict when the two duplicate mating members are secured in position on opposite sides of the web 3. Screws 30 are adapted to adjustably secure the section 19 to the web in a manner similar to the adjustable securing means for the sect-ion 19.

Itwill be seen that as the sections 19 and 19 are placed in position on opposite sides of the web 3, each spirit tube will be insorted half way through the opening 5 so that one tube willbe positioned above the other. These sections 19 and 19 are interchangeable except in respect to the position of the perforations 31 and 31-, and by providing pairs of alined perforations 81 and cooperating with the 31 in each plate of the sections, the sections then become exact duplicates and are interchangeable.

It 'will be observed that the container for the central level tube is substantially elliptical in form, while the end plumb tubes are circular in form,'and in each case the containers contact with the flanges 2 of the beams at the top and bottom.

lVhat is claimed is 1. In a spirit level, the combination of a beam or body having tube openings, with a sectional container for each opening,coinprising mating sections, each section being adapted to support a spirit tube, and means sections to adjustably the body, each section adjusted independently of the secure the sections on adapted to be other.

2. In a spirit level, the combination of a beam or body having tube openings therein, with a sectional container for each opening, each section of the container eo'mprising'a' plate provided with a central opening and a flange projecting outwardly from the periphery of the plate, pockets formed in one of the sections and projecting inwardly from the face of the plate upon opposite sides of the opening and concealed behind the plate, and a spirit tube having its ends cemented in the pockets.

3. In spirit level, the combination of a beam or body having tube openings, with a sectional container for each opening, each section comprising a flanged plate having an opening centrally located of the plate, and threaded perforations formed in the plate on opposite sides of the opening, perforations in the beam in alinement with the perforations in the plate, a spirit tube secured on the inner side of one of the sections, and means passing through the perforations in the plates and beam for adjnstably securing the sections to the beam independent ly of each other. 1 v

1. In a spirit level, the combination of a beam or body having sight openings,-with a sectional container for each opening, comprising matingsections provided with'ga plate and a -fiange 'lprojecting outwardly therefrom, one of said sections being adapted to carry a spirit tube on the inner face of the plate and the other of said sections beingprovided with a mating face for the tube-holding section, said sections being adapted to be placed upon'opposite sides of y the beam and secured to said beam; the" flanged portions of said sections" 'being adapted to space the'plates from the beamone of the sections being adjustable independently of the other. 1

5. In a spirit level, the combination of a beam provided with sight openings, with a sectional container for each opening, a'se'ction of one of said containers comprising'a fiat plate provided with a centrally disposed opening, diametrically disposed per forations in said plate, threaded perforations formed in the beam and in alinement with the perforatins in the plate, said perforations in the plate being of larger diameter than the perforations in the beam, screws adapted to be inserted through the alined' openings in the plate and the beam to adjustably secure the sections to the beam either end of the section being adjustable, a spirit tube secured on said plate, and reinforcing blocks formed integrallv with the plate and located on opposite sides of the opening in the plate.

6. In a spirit level, the combination of a beam comprising a web having openings therein and oppositely-disposed flanges extending outwardly from the longitudinal edges of the web, with a sectional container for said opening, each section of the container comprising an elongated plate provided with a central opening, and a flange projecting outwardly from the periphery of the elongated plate, a reinforcing block formed along one edge of the opening upon the inner longitudinal side of the plate for reinforcing said plate, pockets located on opposite sides of the central opening of the plate near the ends of the reinforcing block, and a spirit tube secured in said pockets, a portion of said tube being adapted to be exposed through the central opening in the plate and web.

7. In a spirit level, the combination of a beam having openings therein, with a sectional container for said openings, each section of the container comprising an elongated plate provided with a central opening, and a flange projecting outwardly from the periphery of the elongated plate, reinforcing blocks located along the inner longitudinal sides of the plate and flange and integrally formed with said plate for reinforcing said plate, pockets located on oppo site sides of the central opening of the plate near the ends of one of the reinforcing blocks, and a spirit tube secured in said pockets, the sections being adapted to be placed in inverted order and secured on opposite sides of the web.

8. In a spirit level, the combination of a beam or body having a sight opening therein, with a container for spirit tubes, said container comprising mating sections secured on opposite sides of the beam and in overlapping relation with and surrounding the opening, the said sections being reversible and interchangeable and each provided with a spirit tube, whereby any one of the sections may be applied to either side of the beam or body and the spirit tubes will always be in operative position located one above the other within the opening in said beam or body, said sections being independentiy adjustable relative to each other and to the beam or body 9. In a level, the combination of a beam or body having an opening therein, with a container for a spirit tube, said container comprising mating sections arranged on opposite sides of the web or said beam or body, and surrounding said opening, one of said sections carrying the spirit tube, and both of said sections engaging the flanges at the top and bottom edges of said body, and securing means passed'through the web of said body and engaging both sections to retain the same in position, the section provided with a spirit tube having a limited rotary movement for adjusting the spirit tube, with the axis of rotation of the section passing through the center or" said section.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixed my signature.

PAUL HERMAN VOGEL. 

